Turbine gas-engine



W. G. JOHNSTON.

TURBINE GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16,'I9II. IIEIIEWED MAR. 27, I9I9.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

1,322,577 Patented Nv. 25, 1919.

e U I 7 W. G. JOHNSTON.

TualNE G As ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I6. 1917- RENEWED MAR. 27|1919.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

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INVENTOR TTORNEYS vv. 6.10HNST0N.- TUHBINE GAS ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APH.|6.1917 RENEWED MAR. 27,1919.

l ,322,571 Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WILLIAM G.- JOHNSTON, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTTO HALLACK A. PENROSE, OF QUINBY, VIRGINIA.

TURBINE GAS-ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

Application iled April 16, 1917, Serial No. 162,266. Renewed March 27, 1919. Serial No. 285,634.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States,.residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, lState of Pennsylvania, have invented a neW and use- -ful Turbine Gras-Engine, of which the fiollowingisa specification.

My present invention consists of a novel construction of a turbine gas engine of the 'to the turbine casing, and novel means for actuating said valve mechanism, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

. Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafter more clearly appear in the detailed description of my' invention. 1 For the purpose of4 illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a typical embodiment of. it'which is at present preferred by me, since the same will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, althoughit is to be understood that l. the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and 0rganization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

- online 3-3 Fig. 1.

Figure 1 represents a section on line 1 1 of Fig. 2, showing a turbine gas engine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a sectional view, the section being taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a section*l substantially i Figs4 represents a top plan`view of an engine `cylinder vand valve cylinder.

corresponding parts inthe `figures` exploded in a firing cham- Referring to the drawings 1 and 2 designate, respectively, the compressor .housing and the turbine housing, in

which is rotatably mounted the crank shaft l 3 in any desired manner. In theform illus trated, the crankshaft 3 is provided Vvvith a shoulder 4 which bears against an end journal bearing 5, and said shaft is also provided with a nut 6 Which bears against the journal bushing-7. A ball-bearing stufing boX 8 is provided having arms 9 which are adjustably secured on the posts 10 carried by the turbine housing 2 by means of the nuts 11 in threaded. engagement with said posts. The compressor housing has a Water jacket 12 of the'usual type, and the passages12a'permit the circulation of a suitable cooling medium to prevent overheating of the-engine. The compressor casing isprovided with a desired number of compressor cylinders 13, in each of which vis located a-compressor piston 14.

I have illustrated multiple -compressor cylinders and pistons, and for purposes of illustration, I have shovvn them as being arranged in sets, three of the compressor pistons being controlled by one 'crank pin and the other three compressor pistons belng controlled by a second crank pin. -One ofthe compressor pistons of each set is provided With a piston-rod 15, Which is mounted upon its respective crank pin 16 or 17. Such piston rods 15 `are provided with the ears 18, to

vvvhich'are pivoted the other piston rods 1.9

. with a fuel inlet port 22, which communicates With the fuel inlet chamber 23, as will be best understood from Fig. 3. The inlet port 22 is controlled by'an intake valve 24,

which is provided`.vvith a stem 25, Which passes through and is guided in a bushing l26 in threaded engagement yvith the compressor housing. v

The valve stem'25 has secured thereto in any desired manner a shoulder or'collar 27 r and islconnected with a plunger 28 which is in threaded engagement with it and which is guided in the housing.' v`

29 designates a sleeve which abuts against the housing atits inner end and at its outer above described.

A spring 36 is provided .which serves to normally maintain the discharge valve 33 in its'seated or closed position. The stem 3.4 is connected to a plunger-37 guided in the compressor housing, see Fig. 1, and sincc'the tension means and the manner of connecting it with the stem of its plunger is similar to that just described with reference to theJ inlet valve stem 25, a further detailed descrlption ofthe construction thereof is believed to be unnecessary.

Each firing chamber 21 is provided with a spark plug 38 which is adj ustably carried by a plug 39 in threaded engagement with lthe compressor housing.

.40 designates a vaporizer consisting of a plurality of plates which extend into a ring chamber 21. Each vaporizer is carried by a plug 41 in threaded engagement with the compressor housing.

All of the intake and discharge' valves, which in the form illustrated consist of twelve valves, are controlled by a common cam member 42 which is provided at one end with an internal gear 43, see Fig. 5, with which meshes the idlers 44, which are mounted on the stud shafts 45 secured to the turbine housing` 2. The crank shaft 3 has fixed thereto a gear 46 which meshes with the idlers44 and effects their rotation in order to impart rotation to the cam member 42. The cam member 42 is provided with a cam face 47 which controls the. plungers 28, and it is also provided with a cam face 48 which controls the plungers 37. In other words,

-the cam face 47 controls the intake valves yand the cam member 48 controls the discharge valves.

The discharge ports 32 communicate with the passages -49 which lead to the turbine buckets, the arrangement of which will now be described.

at its outer periphery with thel buckets', 51

`. secured thereto in any desired mannerv and alternating with "the "stationary turbine blades 52, which are carried by, thestator53 in any desired manner.

54 designates an annular passage forming an lexhaust port which communicates with the main exhaust conduit 55.- The crankshaft 3 has mounted thereon a gear 56, see

indicated at the lower left hand Fig. 1, which meshes witha gear 57 on a shaft 58, which latter is operatively connected with the magneto.

59', Fig. 2, designates a fuel inlet conduit which communicates with a main fuel inlet passage 60 which is in communication with the inlet chamber 23.

The operation of my novel turbine engine will now be readily apparent to those skilled in this art and is as follows The engine is first cranked or manually started in the usual manner. The fuel enters through the main fuel inlet conduit 59 into the main fuel inlet passage 60 which is in free communication with the' fuel inlet chambers 23. As the crank shaft 3 revolves, the cam 42, which is intergeared with the crank shaft, revolves in unison therewith. The cam face 47 on the cam 42 eausesthe intake valve 24 of one of the compressor cylinders to open. it being understood that at this period outlet valve is closed, the position of each of said valves at this period being the reverse of that seen in Fig. 3. The opening of the inletvalve 24 admits the charge of fuel, vapor or gas to the explosion chamber 21 which is drawn in during the suction stroke of the coacting piston. Upon inwardly or in the direction of the crank shaft. At the period of an explosion the intake 'valve will be momentarily closed, as portion of Fig. 1.

At the upper left hand portion of Fig. 1 the exhaust valve 33 is shown as open, so as to permit the exit of the burnt gases, which discharge through thepassage y49 against the buckets or blades 51 of the rotor v50 whereupon the action of the burnt gases imparts a rotary action to the rotor 50. Each exhaust valve 33is timed to allow the exhaust gases to be expelled at regular intervals from the coacting cylinder explosion chamber into the several passages 49 so that none of the exhaust gases are wasted but are utilized to eect the rotation of the rotor 50, 50 designates the rotor which 1s provided all'the cylinders being 'arranged to have,

47 and 48 (see Fig. 3) and by the timing of the ignition apparatus to deliver a spark in the proper cylinderl at the proper time.

My invention is particularly adapted to be used with crude oil as fuel, and the function of the auxiliary heating devlce 4() 1s to elflciently heat or keep to the proper temperature the'lburnt gases after each explosion passv through or by said heating device through the passages 49 in their travel to the buckets 51 of the rotor. The exhaust from-the rotor blades flows into the exhaust chamber 54 and thence through the main exit 55 to the atmosphere.

It will further-be evident vthat since the explosive charge is somewhat heated at all times to a substantially uniform temperature by the presence of the heater or 'vaporlzer 40 in the tiring or explosion chambers 21 crude oil or low grade uelcan be effectively used i since after ring the burnt gases are heated or expanded by the plates 40, just prior to their exit to `the passages 49.

It will be seen that by the employment of a system of internal combustion engines or motors symmetrically collocated as described with la turbine or rotary engine mounted on a shaft common to both said engines, Iam

enabled to utilize the energy of' the waste products of combustion usually lost Ior exhaustedto the atmosphere in an( effective, manner, and further by vmy novel. construction and location of the intake and exhaust valves I not only utilize the space between the two engines as chambers for the valve mechanisms, but I amin addition enabled to dispense with the external valve rods, external rocker arms and their adjuncts heretofore frequently employed, whereby all the Vmovingparts in my device are inclosed, but a are yet readily accessible. p The explosive charge is vaporized due to the p'resence of the vaporizer 40 in a firing chamber 21. f

The operation just described is repeated for each'compressor cylinder and the cylinders operate fin the order .indicated on Fig. 2.` The top cylinder operating first .and the other two cylinders in which their pistons are connected by the` auxiliary'pis- Vton rods of one set operate second and third,

respectively. The lower` compressor cylinder, the piston of which is connected with aV master rod, operates fourth land the other` .two pistons of this set, which are connected by the, auxiliary rods, operateA fifthA and sixth, respectively. Attention is directed to the novel constructionv and arrangement ofthe compressor cylindersy and their adjuncts, it being best seen in Fig. 2 that I provide opposed crank pins Ion which the-ends of the master piston; rodsare mounted, andLI provide auxiliary1 piston rods, which are pivotally connected'to the master piston rods. By such construction an equal balance is obtainedv throughout the construction.

.The intake' andexnaust valves are Vall actuated by a single cam member which is of such crude oil, which intergeared with the crank shaft so that such cam -member is engine driven.

It will now be .apparent that I have devised a novel and useful turbine gas engine, which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and theabove description, and while I have, in the ypresent instance, shown and described a typical embodiment of it which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it isfto be understood that the same is susceptible of modiica-tion in various particulars 'Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

` v 1. A turbine gas engine comprising ashaft having oppositely arranged crank pins and also having a spur gear, a compressor housing and` a turbine housing fixed together and in-fwhichlthe shaft is rotatably mounted; .the compressor housing'having a plurality of radially disposed cylinders and a jacent to the turbine housing and inlet and exhaust ports in communication with said chamber and also having an annular fuelsupply passage in communication with the inlet ports of the chambers and passages connecting the exhaust ports of the chamb'ers with the interior of the .turbine hous.- ing, and the said turbine housing having an interior annular exhaust passage in its side l.remote from the compressor housing, a rotor xed on the Shaft and disposed in the.

lturbineAhousing, pistons movable in the cylinders and arranged in groups; one piston in each group having a rod connected withl onefcrank pin and the other pistons of said group having rods connected with the first-- namedrod, normally-closed radially-movable inlet and exhaust valves, plungerscomplementary to said valves, a common cam member for moving the plungers and chamber at the side of each cylinder adshaft, a compressor houslng and aturbine Lhousing in which the Shaft is arranged to rotate; the compressor housing having a plurality of radially disposed cylinders and a chamber at the side of each cylinder adjacent to the turbine housing and inlet and exhaust ports in communication' with said chamber and valvesv complementary to said lao A ports and also having an annular fuelsupply passage in communication with said linlet ports of the chambers and passages connecting-the exhaust ports of the chambers with the interior of the turbine housing, and the said turbine housing vhavingl an interior annularexhaust passage in its side remote from the compressor` housing,

` a rotor fixed-on the shaft and disposed in the turbine housing, pistons movable in the cylinders and connected with and arranged to rotate the shaft, and means actuated by the shaft and constructed and arranged to directly( move the valves outwardly, 'at intervals, to open the same.

3. In a device of the character stated, a shaft, a compressor housing anda turbine housing in which theV shaft is mounted to rotate; the compressor housing having a plurality of radially-disposed cylinders and a valve 'chamber at the side of each cylinder adjacent to the turbine housing and also having an annular fuel-supply passage, and transverse passages intermediate said valve chambers and the interior of the turbine housing, and the turbine housing having an i11terio1"a1nn1lar exhaust passage in its side remote from the compressor housing, a rotor fixed on the shaft and disposed in the turbine housing, pistons movable in the cylinders and connected with and arranged to rotate the shaft by a master piston rod connected with one of said' pistons, and a pair of auxiliary piston rods connected with two other pistons and saidl master piston rod, intake and exhaust valves located within said valve chambers and intermediate of said housings for controlling communication between the annular fuel supply passage and the cylinders and communication between the said cylinders and the transverse passages, and cam mechanism on said shaft intermediate of said housings for actuating said valves. f

4. In .a device of the character stated, a sha-ft, a system of internalI combustion motors mounted symmetrically around the same, cylinders for said motors,'a turbine rotor also mounted on said shaft, a housing for said turbine rotor, a series of spring actuated intake and exhaust valves for said motors located intermediate of said cylinders and housing; `cam mechanism on said shaft also located between said rotor housing, and cylinders for 'effecting 'the actuation of said valves, valve rods alsov located intermediate valves to said rotor.A

5. .In a deviceof the character stated, a shaft, a system of mternal combustion motors mounted symmetrically about the same,

cylinders for said motors, a turbine rotor having blades therein also mounted on said shaft, a housmfr for said rotor, intake and exhaust valves for the explosion chambers of said motors located intermediate of said cylinders and housing, cam4 mechanism on said shaft also located between said motors and housing for actuating said valves, exhaust passages from said motors controlled by said exhaust valves and leading to the blades of said rotor, and removable plugs for said explosion' chambers, said plugs having their inner surfaces formed of a plurality of plates extending linto said explosion chambers and adapted to serve as vaporizers to i heat the gaseous fuel prior to its exit to said exhaust passages. f

6. In a device of the character stated. a

crank shaft, a system of internal combustion i diate said cylinders and housing, and means i on said shaft intermediate said cylinders and housing for actuating said valve mechanism.

7. In a device of the character stated, a

shaft, internal combustionmotors mounted about said shaft, intake and exhaust valves therefor, a rotor also mounted on said shaft,

exhaust passagesleading vfrom ports con-` trolled by said'exhaust valves to said rotor,

removable plugs mounted in the cylinders of said motors in proximity to said exhaust valves and having inwardly-extending plates projecting into the explosion chambers and serving as a vaporizer for effecting the heating .and further expansion of the exploded gases prior to their impact. onthe blades of said rotor.

8. In a device of the character stated, a shaft, internal combustion motors mounted about said shaft, intake and exhaust valves therefor, a rotor also mounted on said shaft, said valves being located between said motors and rotor, exhaust passages leading from ports controlled by' said exhaust valves to said rotor, a pinion on said shaft,a cam sleeve on said shaft located intermediate of said motors and rotor and having cam faces for actuating said valves, an internal gear onsaid cam sleeve, idlers intermediate said pinion and internal gear, and connections intermediate said cam faces and valves for actuating the latter. l

9. In a device of the 'character stated, a

shaft, a system of internal combustion motors mounted about the same, a rotor mounted on said shaft, intake and exhaust valve mechanism for said motors located between the latter and said rotor, passages leading from said exhaust valve mechanism to said rotor and controlled by said exhaust valve mechanism, and inwardly pro]eetmg heating devices located in proximity to said exhaust valve mechanism for heating exploded gases 10 prior to their egress past said exhaust valve mechanism to said rotor.

WILLIAM G. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, E. HAYWARD FAIRBANKS. 

